UNH offense breaks out in Blue-White scrimmage

DURHAM — With many of the same players back, offense is expected to be a strength this year for the University of New Hampshire football team.

However, that unit struggled throughout preseason training camp until Thursday afternoon when the Wildcats erupted for 45 points in the Blue-White intra-squad scrimmage at Cowell Stadium.

“We were able to make some plays offensively and get the ball in the end zone,” said coach Sean McDonnell. “We haven’t done it a whole lot in camp.”

Four of the five quarterbacks who played threw at least one touchdown pass — including two by true freshman Trevor Knight of Nashua — and wide receiver RJ Harris scored the only rushing TD on a 6-yard reverse.

“It was a good day for us,” Goldrich said. “I thought we made some plays. We’ve been kind of waiting for that. Obviously the last scrimmage wasn’t really who we are as an offense, but today we showed up.”

True freshman Rory Donovan caught a pair of TD passes from Knight, including a 19-yarder on the final play of the scrimmage. Donovan finished with three receptions for 95 yards.

“This was Trevor Knight’s first chance to go in a live situation,” McDonnell said. “He got beat up a little bit at the end, but those first two drives he did a nice job.”

Sophomore Kyon Taylor had four catches for 77 yards, including 49 on one play. He nearly completed a 50-yard scoring hook-up with Goldrich, but sophomore cornerback Casey DeAndrade stripped Taylor from behind at the 1 and recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback.

“I think adrenaline took over a little bit,” DeAndrade said. “I was beat, and I don’t like being beat.”

“I thought offensively when we made some plays the defense didn’t fall asleep,” McDonnell said. “The play by DeAndrade is something we talk about all the time.”

It was one of five turnovers forced by the defense, including interceptions by Lamar Edmonds, Daniel Rowe and Nick Marino, and fumble recoveries by DeAndrade and Horace Chalstrom.

Freshman Ryan Sosnak had a pair of sacks.

“It wasn’t like these things fell out of the sky,” McDonnell said of the turnovers. “The last couple guys broke downhill and made some plays.”

Goldrich is still considered the starter at QB with Vailas, a senior, the back-up. Vailas passed for 91 yards Thursday.

Goldrich and Vailas were the only players to wear red, non-contact jerseys during the scrimmage.

“I tried to prepare like it was a real game,” Goldrich said. “I tried to act like it was a real game. I tried to pretend I was live even though I wasn’t.”

“He’s been solid,” McDonnell said. “He does the things we need him to do (like) knowing where the ball’s going. The one pick wasn’t a good decision, but everything else was pretty good.”

McCormick and Riese, both sophomores, are competing for third string QB. Donald Goodrich, a redshirt freshman running back from York, Maine, led all rushers with 45 yards on eight carries.

The other points came on a 32-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Max Pedinoff. UNH averaged slightly more than 30 points a game last season.

“I’ve been quoted as saying I think it’s the best offense in the country,” DeAndrade said. “It just takes them a little while to get going. Today when they got going, you saw what happened.”

The offense was missing one of its more explosive and versatile players in sophomore Dalton Crossan, who sat out the scrimmage with an injured Achilles.

He gained 947 all-purpose yards on 62 touches last season rushing, receiving and returning kicks. Crossan led the team in yards per carry from scrimmage (12) and yards per kick return (23.7).

“It’s a tough one to figure out,” McDonnell said. “It hasn’t responded to treatment and he hasn’t been able to play in nine days. We’re concerned about him right now.”

Alexander Morrill, a sophomore offensive lineman from Lebanon, was also held out of action Thursday with a sore shoulder.

“He’s fine,” McDonnell said. “He could have played today. In a game he would have. We just wanted to make sure he was ready for next week when we start practicing for Toledo.”

The Wildcats open a week from Saturday, Aug. 29, at Toledo. Their home opener is scheduled for Sept. 13 against Lehigh.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.